Early College

NC State's first-year students are bringing in more college coursework than ever before.

Our Commitment to You

We are committed to enrolling North Carolina early college high school students. For early college high school students enrolled through a North Carolina community college, we follow the transfer of course credit policy as defined in the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement between the UNC system and the North Carolina Community College System. For other Early College High Schools, we make decisions on transfer of courses based on our evaluation of the courses.

If you have not taken any college courses since graduating high school, you are considered a first-year or freshman applicant for reporting purposes. Both the Common Application and the Coalition Application use the term “freshman” to designate first year applicants. At NC State, freshman applicant simply means first-time college student, it does not describe your credit hour standing. NC State’s incoming first year students are bringing in more college course credit than ever before. First-year applicants can receive credit for all college courses taken during high school as well as AP and IB exam credit and many enter with enough credit hours to be classified as a sophomore or junior.

Choosing your college courses

Use our transferable credit database to select your college course work and evaluate which of your credits will transfer to NC State.

Special Consideration of North Carolina Cooperative Innovative High School Applicants

Applicants from North Carolina Cooperative Innovative High Schools receive special consideration in admission to UNC system universities based on North Carolina law. According to House Bill 97 Section 11.16.(a) “any student who graduated from a cooperative innovative high school program with an associate degree and who applies for admission to the constituent institution has the option of being considered for admission as a freshman or as a transfer student.” Download the list of Cooperative Innovative High School Programs to see if your early college high school qualifies.

In the NC State admissions process, we want to consider your application in the way that will most benefit you in your final admissions decision. We encourage you to apply as a freshman (first-year) applicant and to send in your high school transcript, college transcript, and official test scores so we may take them all into consideration. Review our freshman admission procedure to see what is required and review our transfer recommendations for competitive applicants to see what coursework you would need to already have completed to be competitive. By applying as a freshman and also submitting your college transcript, we can consider both your high school academic work and test scores as well as your college courses and grades. We will weigh both as we make an admission decision.

You may apply as a transfer and should consider the implications carefully. Transfer applicants to NC State are only admitted directly into majors and they may only choose one degree for consideration on their application. Transfer applicants may not enter undecided programs. For Fall 2016 41% of transfer applicants and 46% of freshmen (first-year) applicants were admitted to NC State. High school academic performance and test scores are not considered in transfer admission decisions. Transfer applicants must meet the specific college course requirements for admission to the degree. Depending on your selected major as many as five specific college transfer courses plus labs may be required. Application deadlines and notification dates are later for transfer applicants. Transfer applicants are notified of their admission decision in mid-April.